YEP Letters:October 27

No doubt like me you have received the latest propaganda leaflet/email from Leeds City Council regarding their plans for the rape of greenbelt in our city.

With classic effrontery it is entitled “Your City–Your Plan.” It goes on to say they are “working with you to find the best locations for new homes, greenspace and retail.” Strange that these sites have already been identified and mapped out for developers.

The independent organisation Migration Watch UK identifies that ‘65 per cent of UK household growth from 1996 to 2014 was a direct consequence of international migration to the UK’. They say that ‘immigration will continue to be a major factor in housing demand’. The 70,000 houses proposed by the council tries to deal with the effect of immigration whilst the cause is ignored.

Drop in sessions are advertised to allow the long suffering public chance to make futile protests against the vast number of houses required. It is part of a huge and costly sham consultation process paid for by the very people whose wishes are ignored. The record of Leeds City Council taking any notice of public protest does not stand up well to scrutiny, just look at the Trolley Bus fiasco.

So I say back to the council “Your City-Your Plan.” Do not insult us by suggesting we had anything to do with it. You would be far more honest, accurate and economic to say “here is what we are going to do so shut up and let us get on with it”.

In response to Michael Heseltine former Tory Deputy Prime Minister can I say it is never a good time to lose your job in the steel industry or any other place of employment as he asserted over the weekend.

This is the same Michael Heseltine who in 1981 supported a government that appointed an American banker Ian MacGregor as chairman and chief executive of British Steel with the result that thousands of steel workers lost their jobs. In 1983 MacGregor with Heseltine’s support was made chairman of British Coal, rumours of 50 pit closures were denied by Margaret Thatcher who said there were no plans at all to close any pits. We now know the truth and the coal industry has been decimated. This attack on British industry was followed by the privatisation of British Telecom, Cable and Wireless, British Airways and the British Airport Authority, British Gas, British Steel, England and Wales Water Companies and electricity.

If it was British the Tories sold it.The Tories pushed unemployment to over three million, it was a deliberate economic policy, just as today with a Tory government they have an ideological commitment of austerity towards those on low pay and benefits. This policy is not a necessity and should be reversed.

Memories of Hunslet Carr

Julie Clarkson, Leeds 27

Here are some of my memories of Hunslet Carr. I was born in Tremont Terrace, Hunslet Carr 57 years ago and spent most of my childhood into my teenage years there and attended Hunslet Carr Primary and Junior School.

We lived in a back to back terrace house and shared a toilet which was in a yard half way up the cobbled street with our neighbours and remember having to go spend a penny in all weathers, armed with a torch and the toilet door key! Don’t think the youth of today would appreciate that..

My grandad Laurie Halloway was well known for his piano playing which he did at the Gardeners Arms and Cemetery Tavern and my dad Donald played the drums also at the Cemetery Tavern. My grandma Ada worked at the pay kiosk at the Strand cinema. My mum worked part time in Thurkettles spar corner shop.

As a child I spent many a happy evening with my grandma at the Peggy Tub club, old time dancing and would call at Browns fish shop for a bag of chips on the way home, those were the days.

And the street bonfires on bonfire night when all the street members shared the cooking of pie and peas and jacket potatoes etc. Happy days!

What impresses me the most when I look back is just how friendly and caring everyone was in Hunslet Carr and would do anything to help if needed, very close knit, unfortunately unlike today.

The area where I lived is now a very built up area of council houses where most of the roads seem to be dead ends. Will always cherish my childhood memories.

Investment in Holbeck

Carol Lee, by email

There is much discussion at the moment about China’s president Xi Jinping’s visit to the UK and whether China will invest in a nuclear power plant at Hinckley.

What readers may have missed in recent articles in the YEP is that we are also asking China to stump up the cash to invest in the development of the South Bank of the River Aire in Leeds (aswell as the recent agreement to invest in the extension of Thorpe Park).

There is something that saddens me that we are having to rely on China to invest in Holbeck, an area of our city that is so rich in Britain’s history of the Industrial Revolution.

Stick to rules

John Coyne, Whitkirk

I am writing in response to the email from Michael Mooney in Saturday’s YEP.

It makes me laugh when people crow about receiving a fine when they have clearly done something wrong. Two hours is clearly enough time to do your shopping, don’t park up and go off on another appointment. Use the time for what it’s meant for. Like any other misdemeanour, speeding, using mobiles when driving etc, don’t do it. If you do and get caught, expect to pay the price. Good luck with your appeal, but in my opinion, pay up.

Necessary profit

Chris Sharp, by email

How does Derek Barker (YEP October 23) think countries work and survive?

Seemingly to his disgust profit must be made to improve things. By his account every deal struck with anybody is a Tory plot to drive the poor down. Deals and profit are not all plots by the nasty Mr Cameron, they are necessary for the running of the economy. Whether you like it or not commerce is a fact of life! Utopia is not.